Clashes Erupt in Bethlehem after Funeral of Boy Shot Dead by Israeli Soldiers

Published October 17th, 2000 - 03:00 GMT

Israeli troops fired rubber bullets and tear gas at hundreds of stone-throwing youths in the West Bank town of Bethlehem after the funeral of a Palest

Israeli troops fired rubber bullets and tear gas at hundreds of stone-throwing youths in the West Bank town of Bethlehem after the funeral of a Palestinian boy shot dead the day before.

There were no immediate reports of injuries from the clashes, which erupted at Rachel's tomb, a Jewish holy site at the entrance to Bethlehem.

Earlier, thousands of Palestinian mourners had carried through the streets of Bethlehem with the body of a 13-year-old boy shot dead by Israeli soldiers in the tempestuous wave of violence sweeping through the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

Masked youths set fire to Israeli and US flags, chanting "Allahu Akbar" (God is Great), as up to 15,000 people waving banners and Palestinian flags joined the funeral procession and prayers at the mosque in Bethlehem's Manger Square.

Muayyad Osama Jawarish died on Monday after being shot in the head during clashes with Israeli troops in Bethlehem, a Palestinian-ruled town in the West Bank just south of Jerusalem.

Masked youths fired into the air with assault rifles as Jawarish's body, wrapped in a green funeral shroud, was later buried in his home village of Beit Sahur, east of Bethlehem -- BETHLEHEM, West Bank (AFP)